Ozzy woke to a cool glass of water with smooth sides. He still had the gritty and holey original versions for some sentimental reason, but he wasn’t using them anymore. They sat on their own shelf separate from the others. Maybe he’d use them as a vase or something. He pulled out a drawer in his new dresser and dressed in a fresh pair of clothes. The only failings were they still had a drawstring on the boxers as the material wasn’t stretchy. That and they were all the same plain off white color. Stepping out of his shack to a slowly encroaching sunny sky he grabbed a fruit and snacked on it while watching the starry portion shrink in the faux sunrise he’d been able to get the haven to adopt.
His life here was really shaping up into an interesting and fun experience. There were still threats, concerns, and tons of improvements he could be making but overall he was enjoying himself. He was reminded of a presentation on post scarcity portraying it as a fantasy. Looking back on earth there was a time where the term would have been simply considered having enough food to survive through winter. Another when being able to eat whenever you wanted. Finally there came a time when food production was relegated to a small portion of the population, and obesity became a worldwide epidemic. They didn’t call it post scarcity then, yet that’s exactly what it was.
Ozzy was still on the early end of the spectrum of self sustainability, but he suspected he wouldn’t have a problem keeping busy. Even when he would eventually have hot showers, coffee, and a rainbow for a closet. The way his mind worked made it nearly impossible not to keep himself busy if he found even the most obscure thread to tug on. Plus it was amazing how much you took for granted when you were used to it. In his life now, even with literal magic he couldn’t allow himself a tenth of the luxury he was used to. A room cooled to exactly the degree he desired to fall asleep to. Waking up to a room that was warm enough to pad around barefoot without even an ounce of discomfort. Coffee brewed automatically for him and fresh eggs and bacon at an arm's length. While he’d never seen the chicken and pig they came from. All of which he was sure he’d be able to accomplish in due time.
For now Ozzy was itching for a visit to really anybody, but the only available taker was Vonder. He was feeling excited for his plans and began preparations for a few dishes to bring along. The sandwiches and tea from the last visit had been nice, and he wanted to return the favor. He didn’t have any bread though. Trade was one of the things he was hoping he could discuss anyway. If he could just get flour that would be preferred, but something like wheat or another grain would work. That and potatoes would be awesome. Without anything for a side dish he was hoping to create a nice main dish and a drink or two, well if you counted water. There were a few more options than he had the last time he made himself a meal. The boar wasn’t on the table, but there were many varieties of fowl he could choose from. Though he wasn’t sure how any of them tasted. That and he was tired of just making a fire randomly on the path. He needed an oven, and stove, and for that he needed bricks.
It might turn out he wouldn’t meet anyone today or maybe even tomorrow. Bringing his domain to bear he got to work obliterating the clay tile he’d captured. He nearly removed the entire thing when he wondered what would happen if he did so. While it was a question he could quickly answer, he didn’t actually want to. Instead he simply reached out and killed a few more of the dormant frogs and tore into the resulting clay tiles instead. Leaving about half of each. With as much space as he had now in his haven he wasn’t as worried about smoke as he had been. He’d contemplated firing the bricks in one of the other havens he had access to instead, but he still set up the impromptu kiln on the bottom of his haven on the new tiles he’d gained. Using the rocks he’d collected to keep the heat in the best he could.
While setting up the first round of bricks he’d decided he may as well set up for the future. Instead of laying out plans for an oven he designed a kiln. He’d never worked with clay back home, but there had been an abundance of pottery wheels and kilns in art classes he’d been in. Essentially just a large oven with racks to cure the pieces in. He wasn’t even sure if cure was the right word. Only knew that they needed to be heated up for them to stay solid when they got wet next. In the kilns he’d seen on earth the racks were metal but he just used the salt drying trays he’d made and designed around them. He designed it large enough to hold hundreds of the bricks he was making, needing to make more racks to accommodate.
While he did have lots of leftover wood from building his shack he still cut out more stacks for backup. He had time to spare while waiting for the bricks. It’d taken hours for the thinner plates, cups, and silverware to finish so he suspected the thicker bricks would take even longer. It was as he was moving on to design the oven that he was frozen by a loud popping crack. Initially he whipped around trying to find the source when he heard another shortly after. Then a third. Not waiting to see what was happening he jumped to the nearest edge and then into the offspring haven. From there he looked through his domain extensions at his haven until he was able to locate the issue. The rocks around his fire had all fallen back and he could see pieces of brick strewn about. He’d apparently done something wrong in the process. His smaller pieces hadn’t had this trouble which suggested what the cause might be. The way the bricks had broken apart also looked reminiscent of popcorn which also hinted at a possibility. He knew popcorn worked because of water in the corn. But if he had to dry these bricks before firing it could take weeks or longer. Which meant he was going to need to forgo the kiln, and oven for this visit to Vonder.
The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.
Reaching into the fire with his domain he pulled the rest of the bricks out. Tossing the lot into the nearest rat haven. No reason to mess about with trying to save them. Stepping back to his haven he made another batch of bricks but this time lined them up along the path to dry. This time making a good thousand so he could have them ready for the few projects he’d come up with when they did eventually dry. Which he still wasn’t sure was the issue, but it was, he felt, a pretty good hunch. Instead of continuing to worry over it he moved on to the food he’d planned.
Reaching out to the few fowl havens he grabbed a few fat and lazy looking birds to test them out. Plucking and preparing them was rather easy with his domain to do all the work. Rather than cooking the birds whole he cut off the breasts and used his new clay cookware to fry them up in some of the leftover boar fat and adding some salt. They either all smelled great or one of them was overpowering the rest. There was also the possibility he was just craving his first pan cooked meat here. The finished products were also hard to tell apart. Tasting a bit of one breast of each allowed him to make sure there was nothing wrong with them. Either taste or otherwise. Hopefully this didn’t come to bite him in the ass after. He hadn’t heard of meat commonly causing the kind of issues that plants could, but he didn’t dismiss the possibility.
In the meantime while crossing his fingers hoping that nothing unfortunate befell his bowels he moved on to preparing some drinks. Both of which were rather simple. One more so than the other. He filled a jug with water from his sink. Another jug he squeezed fruit into until it was decently full. He dumped that into another to leave the dregs behind and grabbed both with his domain. Similarly picking up the two plates of unknown fowl breasts, four cups, and some silverware he stepped into the haven where he’d had the meeting with Vonder originally. He’d contemplated continuing the suggested tradition of obfuscating his origin, but Cederick already knew where it was, and apparently so did some random boar. He suspected that Vonder knowing wouldn’t be so much of an issue compared.
The table and chairs still sat as they had before, but it appeared Vonder had come back for his own plates and cups at some point as they were gone. Ozzy spent a few minutes setting up his offerings on the table. Adjusting them a few times to set them just right. Then sat himself and got comfortable. Not knowing exactly how long it would take Vonder to realize he was here and come calling.
————————
While rearranging things for the third ‘one last time’ Ozzy saw Vonder step into the haven. It likely wasn’t more than an hour but he hadn’t been counting, and it felt like longer. Standing quickly Ozzy spread his arms in greeting. “Thank you for coming, I’ve brought a few things”
Vonder glanced over the offerings and nodded in what appeared was surprise and respect. Ozzy was sure that he hadn’t been expecting plates, cups, or utensils. “Thank you, it’s much appreciated” He said cordially in his odd accent “I’m glad you’ve come to visit”. As he said so he took the seat opposite Ozzy where the untouched plate of fowl was. Leaning forward he smelled the plate. “Ah…” He exhaled appreciatively “A decent catch”.
Ozzy smiled, glad that he could provide something the seemingly aristocratic individual could appreciate. “Yes I found a few sources of future dinners to add to the menu” He began, “I did taste test them, and they’re rather good.” He added lifting his own plate to show the bites from each, “They don’t taste much like chicken, or turkey, but not duck either. I’ve never sampled anything else to compare it to” he continued with more information than he’d intended. Something about Vonder made him feel like validating his experience and knowledge more than he really wanted to. It wasn’t exactly that he was intimidating, or that he was overbearing or rude. There was just an air of class and capability that made Ozzy just a little off balance with any interaction.
The realization of his reactions to him also made him have another. He had yet again stopped looking at the man with his new senses. It was odd that he was both unsettled and at home enough with the man to not immediately survey him upon his arrival as he did with nearly everyone and everything else. It could something more than a simple air of superiority, but Ozzy suspected it was more mundane than magical in nature.
Looking the man over once more with his domain didn’t tell him any more than he’d initially found on his last visit. He still had a glowing point in his forehead from which Ozzy could feel pressure emanating. Though this is where he remembered the somewhat frightening insight on his domain's reaction. Looking down he saw that his domain wasn’t blown back like a cape anymore, though moving it about was still a struggle. He had intentionally left his new suit behind as his last visit had confirmed that Vonder could see the membrane at least. He hadn’t wanted to show up in a suit of armor and set the mood and conversation off.
While Ozzy examined Vonder and himself, Vonder had taken a moment to explore the offerings on the table. Taking a nibble of one of the breasts then sipping first a bit of the water then the juice. After which he poured himself a glass of both before turning back to Ozzy. “What wonderful things you’ve brought today!” He smiled “I am impressed”